Principal Investigator/Program Director (Last, first, middle): Burgess, Shawn, C RESEARCH &RELATED Other Project Information 1. * Are Human Subjects Involved? m Yes l No 1.a. If YES to Human Subjects Is the IRB review Pending? m Yes m No IRB Approval Date: Exemption Number: 1 2 3 4 5 6 Human Subject Assurance Number 2. * Are Vertebrate Animals Used? l Yes m No 2.a. If YES to Vertebrate Animals Is the IACUC review Pending? l Yes m No IACUC Approval Date: Animal Welfare Assurance Number a3472-01 3. * Is proprietary/privileged information m Yes l No included in the application? 4.a.* Does this project have an actual or potential impact on m Yes l No the environment? 4.b. If yes, please explain: 4.c. If this project has an actual or potential impact on the environment, has an exemption been authorized or an environmental assessment (EA) or environmental impact statement (EIS) been performed? m Yes m No 4.d. If yes, please explain: 5.a.* Does this project involve activities outside the U.S. or m Yes l No partnership with International Collaborators? 5.b. If yes, identify countries: 5.c. Optional Explanation: 6. * Project Summary/Abstract 1245-Project_Summary.pdf Mime Type: application/pdf 7. * Project Narrative 9368-Project_Narrative.pdf Mime Type: application/pdf 8. Bibliography &References Cited 4161-Bibliography.pdf Mime Type: application/pdf 9. Facilities &Other Resources 4249-Facilities_and_other_resources.pdfMime Type: application/pdf 10. Equipment 188-Equipment.pdf Mime Type: application/pdf Tracking Number: Other Information Page 5 OMB Number: 4040-0001 Expiration Date: 04/30/2008 Principal Investigator/Program Director (Last, first, middle): Burgess, Shawn, C Abnormal liver carbohydrate and fat metabolism contribute to poor glucose and lipid homeostasis in a variety of metabolic diseases. For this reason, factors that regulate these metabolic pathways in the liver have been intensely studied, yet remain incompletely understood. Commonly, the expression of gluconeogenic enzymes, in particular phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK), are thought to control the rate of gluconeogenesis; however, how flux through these pathways change in response to enzyme expression (i.e. control strength) remains poorly understood. Our work demonstrates that in mice with graded levels of PEPCK expression, PEPCK control strength is weak, implying that other factors coordinate control of gluconeogenesis. One of these factors is the rate of hepatic energy production via fat oxidation. For instance, exposure of liver to high levels of fatty acids results in increased gluconeogenesis, and more recently, molecular factors have been identified that coordinate the enzymes of gluconeogenesis and fat oxidation in parallel. We've found that the rate of hepatic TCA cycle flux, a pathway intimately linked to hepatic energy production, correlates more strongly with flux through PEPCK than PEPCK enzyme expression itself. To continue our studies of these pathways we will measure metabolic fluxes in liver in response to altered expression of the gluconeogenic enzymes pyruvate carboxylase (PC) and PEPCK to determine their capacity to influence the rate of gluconeogenesis. Finally, since elevated fat delivery to liver is known to increase gluconeogenesis, and presumably flux through PC and PEPCK, we will also measure hepatic fluxes in response to altered fat availability. These studies will be performed using a multidisciplinary approach comprised of gene altered models, isolated organ preparations and rodent micro-surgery. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) isotopomer analysis will be used to measure metabolic fluxes and these techniques will be corroborated by simultaneous hepatic mass balance determinations. Project Description Page 6